


Entwined

by tomarkexists



Category: Blink-182
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-27
Updated: 2013-10-27
Packaged: 2017-12-30 14:57:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1020044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomarkexists/pseuds/tomarkexists
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I promise you I will be there when you turn 20, 30, 40, fuck when you are 50. I will be there for you every day, every month, every year, until you become an old ugly fart, because that’s what best friends do!”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Entwined

**Author's Note:**

> This was Tom's birthday one shot.

_“I promise you I will be there when you turn 20, 30, 40, fuck when you are 50. I will be there for you every day, every month, every year, until you become an old ugly fart, because that’s what best friends do!”_

The empty promise fills my head. I sighed. I did not sleep at all last night.

37\. I can’t believe I am 37. Where did all the years go?

Jen was still sleeping. Taking this opportunity to spend some time alone, I stumbled my way to the bathroom. I stopped right in front of the mirror. I definitely look 37. Old, haggard, tired and sullen, fuck, I look like a mess. I washed my face, hoping it might wash away the years. Just as I expected, it didn’t.

_You promised me, asshole. Why aren’t you here?_

“Tom?” a voice came from outside. I walked out of the bathroom, sighing at the harsh reality that has befallen on me.

“Morning Jen,” I jumped into the bed and kissed her forehead. I snuggled next to her, breathing in her familiar and comforting scent.

“Happy birthday babe,” she smiled sweetly at me.

“Thanks.” I wish I was more excited for my own birthday. I hardly get excited nowadays. I don’t even get excited for sex. Sex! Me, Thomas Matthew DeLonge, the king of lovemaking, has become an old boring man.

_You are lying to yourself; you get excited when he comes back. You get excited when you are around with him. Only him._

Shut up, stupid voice in my head.

“What do you want to do today?” she interrupted my thoughts.

“I don’t know. Ava and Jonas wanted to go bowling, maybe we can do that?” I did not really want to go bowling. I just want him to be with me on this day, maybe on our beach, just chilling. But I know it will never happen.

“You sure?” she asked sceptically, like I suggested we go jump off a building.

“Yeah, why not.” I smiled weakly at her, hoping she doesn’t see through my lie. But I have become such an expert liar by now.

The door suddenly opened and two figures came running straight to our bed.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!” Jonas and Ava started jumping on our bed.

“Whoa, kids, calm down before you break the bed!” I pinned Jonas to the bed and started tickling him. His laugh made me feel slightly better. I let him go and I faced two beautiful kids, looking at me expectantly.

“So, are we going bowling dad?” Ava asked me, her voice sweet as sugar.

“Yeah, yeah,” I answered nonchalantly.

“YEAHHHHHHHH!!!” the kids started jumping again.

“Come on kids, your father is old now, you might break him,” Jen joked while grabbing the kids and headed out of the room.

I looked up at the ceiling, wondering what he is doing right now. Fuck it Tom, it is your day. You should not be thinking about him.

And with that, I went to the bathroom, fully intending to get him out of my head and spending the day with my family.

.

.

.

_“I promise you I will be there when you turn 20, 30, 40, fuck when you are 50. I will be there for you every day, every month, every year, until you become an old ugly fart, because that’s what best friends do!”_

Fuck, not again. Why do those words creep up to me when I hardly expect it? Here I am, in the bowling place, watching my beautiful wife getting a strike and my children cheering her on, and those damn words are in my head. And the more I try to get it out of my head, the more I can remember.

I was 17. My birthday was a fucking disaster. My family was at war once again. I was with him, trying to pass the time in his room. I was drinking some shitty alcohol while he was smoking. We were talking about crap, nothing that matters. I can remember what he wore; a black Hurley shirt with a pair of Dickies that was actually mine. His hair looks like a fucking mess, but he pulled it off somehow. His blue grey eyes were full of excitement and he looked so happy, so content. And that was when he said those words, those words that filled me with joy during that point of time, and later haunted me.

“Tom? Tom, are you okay?” a voice pulled me out of my daydream.

Jen was standing in front of me with a slight worried look on her face.

“Yes, I am fine,” _no I am not._

“Are you sure? Honey, you looked a bit off today.”

“I am fine, I promise,” _where is he, I need him._ “I think I might go for a walk on the beach for a while, just to clear my head, if that is okay with you?”

“Sure, I will just call you when the kids are done?”

I nodded.

I need to get out of this place before I fucking explode.

.

.

.

Waves crashing. The sun setting. The birds flying over my head. The sea salt smell completely engulfs me. I feel at peace. Calm, for the first time today.

This place reminds me of him. It is our beach. We come here every time, surfing and drawing obscene pictures on the sand.

I mean, we used to come here.

“Hey, you old fart!” a familiar voice came from behind me.

Wait, that can’t be him. There’s no way …

I turned around slowly, not sure whether I am setting myself up for disappointment.

My eyes met him and I can feel electric travelling down my spine.

He is here.

He is here with me.

Why?

“Mark? What are you doing here? Aren’t you suppose to be in London?” _shut up Tom, who fucking cares about London. He is here with you._

“I don’t know. I just sort of … took the earliest flight here,” he looked confused himself.

“How did you found me here?” _why is he here?_

“I went to your place and saw that you weren’t there. Took a lucky guess and thought maybe you were at our beach,” he shrugged like it was nothing.

_Our beach._

_He remember it as our beach._

We sort of stood there, unsure of what to do next. Then he walked closer to me and grabbed me into a hug.

Just a simple hug that may seem innocent to bystanders, but in that hug I feel complete.

When we pulled away, I looked at him from head to toe. His hair is shorter now, and you can see that it has started to grey from age. His eyes were still the same blue grey that I love so much. I found so much comfort in those eyes. You can see the wrinkles around his eyes. It gave him so much character. His smile was infectious and he is in good shape, better than me.

Age has treated Mark Hoppus well.

“Happy birthday Tom,” he smiled his signature smile.

“Thanks Mark. It really means a lot that you are here with me, but you did not have to trouble yourself to fly down just to wish me happy birthday,” I was still trying to figure out why would he even bother.

“I promise you I will be there when you turn 20, 30, 40, fuck when you are 50. I will be there for you every day, every month, every year, until you become an old ugly fart, because that’s what best friends do,” those familiar words that haunted me now gave me chills.

“You remember!” I was shocked. I don’t even think he will remember that faithful night, that night when I realised that without him, I am nothing.

“Of course I do, you old dick,” his laugh filled the air around me.

“Must I remind you that you are 40?”

“And still very good looking too!”

I did not rebut his statement because it is true.

“Want to go draw dicks on the beach like old times?”

“You have no idea how long I have waited for those words to come out from your mouth.”

“Come on,” he gave his hand to me, signalling me to hold it.

Our finger entwined. It felt right, like his fingers were meant for mine.

Like he was meant for me.


End file.
